As we speed head on into what look like a probable increase in the drinking age limit laws in the UK, many are now starting to ask if it will make a real difference, or if there is some other way to stop the problem spiralling out of control. There are many issues to the UK’s booze culture and while there have been attempts in the past to change attitudes to alcohol what else can really be done?
The drink culture of the UK has now spread down the line to the very young of society with kids as young as 10 years of age boasting about their exploits when fuelled up with alcohol. Many people are missing the fact that the “problem” children are already under the legal age limit of 18 years of age, so an increase up to 21 years of age seem fairly pointless. We really need to be changing the attitudes of the young and giving them a new purpose in life. In Scotland we are seeing a massive increase in the number of drink related illnesses with younger and younger people succumbing to the demon drink, something which is reflected throughout the UK.
Many children do not realise that drinking at an early age, when their bodies are not yet full developed, can cause major problems in the future – let alone the fact that they may get addicted to alcohol. So rather than keep increasing the age at which people can buy alcohol, and penalising the many millions in the UK who do not drink to excess, should we not be getting into the schools at an early age and showing the children what drink can do to your health, your looks and your life?
Surely a wake up call would be of more assistance in the long run than high visibility, low impact moves much like what the UK government are threatening at the moment. Also, let us not forget that it was the UK authorities who passed the 24 hour drinking laws – what help have they been?
